Impacts of land consolidation on land degradation: A systematic review.

Land consolidation (LC) is a widespread form of rural planning and is often presented as an important tool for mitigating land degradation. We therefore decided to make a systematic review of the effects of LC projects implemented under different natural and socio-economic conditions. Our results show that there is a major dichotomy in the understanding of LC. Studies from some parts of the world, e.g., Africa and South-east Asia, mostly report on LC projects aimed principally at creating larger fields to facilitate management. Studies from other regions, notably from Europe and China, describe LC as a complex form of planning that includes various types of land management measures. The effects of LC projects on land degradation are strongly linked to the type of project. Within the sample of reviewed studies, the effect of LC projects on land degradation was ambivalent, and projects not including land management measures even tended to contribute to land degradation. Conversely, in studies where LC projects involved specific land management measures, LC had a positive effect on most land degradation types. The results of our study indicate that LC projects can help significantly to mitigate land degradation. • This study examines the effects of land consolidation (LC) on land degradation. • One of the most negative effects of LC is increased water erosion. • Intensification of agricultural practices after LC has led to reduced organic matter. • Projects that included land levelling tended to mitigate the loss of vegetation cover and the loss of vegetation diversity. • There is a need for research on the effect of LC on land degradation types related to soil chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]